Counter bin construction



March 11, 1952 H. J. HICKEY 2,539,082

COUNTER BIN CONSTRUCTION I Filed Feb. 17, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l Henry J. Hickey INVENTOR.

March 1952 H. J. HICKEY 2,589,082

COUNTER BIN CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 17, 1949 2 swam-swam 2 Fig.2. Fig. 3.

Henry J. Hickey JNVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUNTER BIN CONSTRUCTION Henry J. Hickey, Wollaston, Mass.

Application February 17, 1949, Serial No. 76,917

This invention is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 684,988 filed on July 19, 1946 and which has matured into Patent No. 2,483,? 69.

My present invention relates to a counter construction and has for its general object to partition off and sub-divide the top of a counter into a plurality of separate and adjacent compartments or bins by providing means for detachably retaining a plurality of dividers or partitions in vertically disposed criss-cross placement on the counter top so that articles of merchandise are retained on the counter in a segregated and orderly display manner.

More specifically, the present invention has for its aim and purpose to provide fixtures for supporting the outer walls and partitions of the counter display bin and for enabling the bin to be partitioned off in pre-selected patterns by employing partitions of various lengths and placing the same in various positions so as to provide a large variety of differently sized bin compartments.

These and ancillary objects and structural features'of merit are attained by this invention, preferred embodiments of which are set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a counter top provided with a partitioned bin, the side and end walls and partitions thereof being supported by means of retaining members or fixtures, constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a modified form of fixture for sustaining the outer wall of a partitioned bin;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the fixture or partitions support, shown generally in Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 6 is a'transverse sectional view of the fixture strips illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the outer wall fixture support;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view thereof;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of wall support;

Figure 10 is a sectional view thereof, and;

- Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the construction shown in Figure 1,

- where adjacent partitions meet.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- 11 Claims. (Cl. 312-1403) ings, the reference [0 indicates a conventional counter or merchandise table having a counter top l2 surrounded by an upstanding marginal rim [4, the latter defining raised and opposing sides and end walls to form a shallow recess or bin.

Provided for disposition upon the upper face of the counter top at the inner side of the flange or rim [4, both at the opposing ends and sides of the counter are fixtures or supports 16 for the detachable end and side walls l8 of the bin, which walls may be in the form of elongated strips of plate glass or transparent plastic panels.

As seen in Figures 2, 7 and 8, the fixture l6 includes an integral elongated strip of metal or plastic having a horizontal base flange or flat bottom portion 20 adapted for disposition upon the counter top. The base flange is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced perforations or apertures for accommodating prongs or nails 22 for holding the same in place. An upright flange 24 extends integrally at right angles from one of the longitudinal marginal edges of the base flange and is adapted to engage on and confine the lower edge portion of the adjacent wall I8 against the opposing rim or flange [4. A plurality of upright strips or tongues 26 extend upwardly from the opposing longitudinal edge of the base flange and terminate in laterally disposed extremities 28 adapted to overlie the base flange. The side strips 26 are longitudinally spaced from each other by vertically disposed slots 30. The tongues or strips 26 extend perpendicularly from the base flange and are bent inwardly at their upper ends, the upper ends of the strips being joined by a longitudinally extending vertically disposed strip 32, the strip 32 being positioned in vertical alignment with the flange 24 and adapted to bear against the wall 18 above the lower edge or extremity thereof. The angular vertical strips or tongues 26 are formed to receive the lower end portion of a partition or divider member 34, the partitions being insertable in the slots or openings between any selected adjacent strips or tongues and the adjacent tongues embracing the opposing sides of the partitions to sustain the same in a vertical position. Thus, the end or side walls [8 are sustained in a vertical position and held between the opposing rim or flange M of the counter and the flange 24 and flange or strip 32 by means of the pressing engagement thereagainst of the flanges 24 and 32, while the angular strips are adapted to snugly receive the ends of the transverse dividers 34.

A modified form of wall supporting structure or fixture, generally designated by the reference numeral 36, is illustrated in Figures 4, 9 and 10. This form of fixture is particularly adapted for use on a counter top having a recess or spacing 38 between the rim l4 and the counter top l2, the bottom or lower edge is seated below the horizontal plane of the upper surface of the top. The fixture 36 comprises an elongated strip of material including a longitudinally extending horizontally disposed base flange 40 which is seated on the counter top and may be secured thereto by means of fastening members. A plurality of angular tongues 42 extend vertically from the longitudinal edge of the base flange, the tongues constituting a prolongation of the base flange. Thus, the material from which the device is formed is bent upwardly from the base flange and disposed perpendicularly thereto, the material being vertically cut at spaced points down to the flange '43 to provide a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots 44, which space the strips or tongues 42. The spaced strips 42 extend in a series along the longitudinal edge of the supporting base or base flange 46 and have their upper extremities turned inwardly and disposed in the opposite direction from the base flange. A vertically disposed connecting flange 46 integrally depends from the outer longitudinal edges of the lateral extensions of the tongues or strips 42 and is disposed in substantial parallelism to the upright portions of the tongues. The strip or flange 46 is introduced vertically into the recess 38 and is adapted to engage against the inner lower surface of the wall I8 and sustain or support the same in a vertical position against the rim i4.

The flange 46 is pushed downwardly between the counter section of the recess and the wall until the lower edge thereof rests on the upper face of the recess. The angular tongues or strips extending inwardly therefrom are supported by the base flange 40 and are adapted to sustain the transverse partitions or dividers 34 in a vertical position, the lower portion of an end of the partition 34 being inserted between any selected adjacent strips and snugly .received and embraced thereby. Of course, if desired the base flange 40 may be perforated for accommodating conventional anchoring means.

Disposed upon the upper face of the counter top I2 parallel with and spaced from the end fixtures l6 and transversely positioned with respect to the sidewalls and fixtures are any desired number of spaced partition supports or fixtures 50, the

construction thereof being more particularly shown in Figures 3, l5, 6 and 11. The supports or fixtures 50 are detachably seated or disposed on the upper face of surface of the counter top and are adapted to support in a vertical position any desired number of transverse dividers or partitions 34, the dividers '34 having their opposing ends sustained and embraced by the fixtures for the side and end walls, as aforedescribed. Each fixture 50 comprises an elongated strip of metal or plastic material having a horizontal base portion or flange '52 adapted for detachable positioning on the counter top. Opposing strip portions 54 and 56 extend :upwardly from the opposing longitudinal edges .of the base I52. Theiside strips 54 and 56 extend slightly outwardly and are I a-plurality of vertically disposedoutwardly bulged I tongues or strips 60 longitudinally spaced and separated by verticalslots or slits 58. The strips or tongues 60 are bent inwardly adjacent their upper ends to form inwardly directed lateral extensions 62 and 64 superposed on the base. The inwardly directed ends of the bent extensions 62 and 64 of the tongues or strips are joined by longitudinally extending integral vertically disposed strips 66 and 68. The strips 66 and 68 are disposed in parallelism and define vertical flanges, which are adapted to cooperatively grip upon the opposing sides or surfaces of the partitions 34. Thus, the lower edge or bottom of the partition 34 is adapted to be seated on the base 52 and sustained in a vertical position by means of the gripping or clamping coaction of the upright flanges 66 and 68. Longitudinally extending partitions 10, disposed parallel with the side walls are positioned with their lower edge portions disposed between the spaced apart strips or tongues and received in the slots 58.

Thus, the upright flanges 66 and 68 yieldingly clamp upon the partition 34, the flange 66 holding the partition against the opposing flange 68.

Of course, by varying the positions of the supports 50 and the position of the longitudinal partitions :0, various patterns may be obtained and a variety of partition positions may be provided so that various sizes and types of compartments may be easily and conveniently constructed on the counter top.

It is to be particularly appreciated that the instant invention includes the provision of a single and doubleform of supporting strip or fixture, the single form, including the two embodiments illustrated, being adapted to sustain the side and end walls in a vertical position by clamping the same against the marginal rim of the counter top. The transverse partitions, extending parallel with the end walls may be positioned at any selected point between the end walls and spaced therefrom, the opposing ends of the transverse partition being snugly received between the angular tongues of the side walls supporting fixture and the bottom edge of the transverse partition being disposed between the opposing upright flanges 66 and .68 of the double form of fixture 50. .Any desired number of longitudinally extending partitions may be secured between the adjacent tongues or strips 60 or the opposing strips 60 of the ,fixture 50.

Thus, to alter or change the position'of the transverse partition or longitudinally extending partition, it is only necessary to disengage the same from the associated end portion or fixture and move the same into relation with the fixtures at spaced points.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An outer wall or partition support for a counter display bin comprising an integral elongated strip of rigid material having a horizontal base flange adapted for disposition upon the upper face of the counter top, a plurality of angular outwardly bulged tongues vertically extending from one edge of said base flange, said tongues being spaced apartforming slots for receiving the lower end edges :of transverse partitions, :and a longitudinally disposedvertical flange connecting the upper'endsrof the tongues and adaptedtohold the lower edge of a partition against an'QpPosing flange.

2. In combination with a counter bin havin .a :flat top provided with peripheral upright walls, an outer wall or partition support comprising an integral elongated strip .;of :rigid mate- ;rial having a horizontal base fiange. .a plurality of angular tongues extending vertically from one edge of the base flange, an elongated vertical flange formed integrally with the upper ends of the tongues and adapted to press against the lower edge of an outer wall and sustain the same against the inner surface of the counter walls.

3. An embodiment of claim 2, wherein the vertical flange depends from the upper end of the tongues and connects the tongues together.

4. An embodiment of claim 2, wherein a vertical flange extends upwardly from the base flange and is positioned in vertical alignment with the vertical flange formed at the upper end of the tongues.

5. An outer wall partition support for a counter display bin comprising an integral elongated strip of rigid material having an elongated horizontal base flange adapted for disposition upon the upper face of the counter top, a plurality of angular spaced tongues extending upwardly from one of the longitudinal edges of the base flange and a longitudinally extending vertical strip connecting the upper ends of the tongues and adapted to confine the lower edge portion of a wall against an opposing flange.

6. An outer partition support for a counter display bin comprising an integral elongated strip of rigid material having an elongated horizontal base strip adapted for disposition upon the upper face of the counter top, a plurality of angular longitudinally spaced tongues extending upwardly from one of the longitudinal edges of the base strip and a vertical longitudinally extending strip connecting all of the upper ends of the tongues and disposed to hold the lower edge of a partition against an opposing flange, said vertical connecting strip being disposed perpendicular to the base strip.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said vertical connecting strip extends upwardly from the tongues.

8. A partition support comprising an elongated plate having a plurality of elongated openings extending transversely thereof, said openings defining a plurality of sidewise aligned tongues therebetween, a first and a second connector strip formed integrally with opposite sides of said plate and connecting said tongues to each other, the tongue portion of said plate being transversely bowed, said first connector strip being angulated relative to said tongues into a horizontally disposed position to underlie a partition disposed between said tongues, said second connector strip being angulated relative to said tongues into a vertically disposed position to abut the end of a partition disposed between said tongues, said second connector strip being adapted to abut a vertical supporting surface.

9. A partition support comprising an elongated horizontally disposed base flange adapted to rest upon a counter top and underlie a partition member, a plurality of longitudinally spaced elongated tongues formed integrally with said base member and extending upwardly therefrom, said tongues being longitudinally angulated, a. vertically disposed elongated strip formed integrally with the upper ends of said tongues, said strip being laterally offset from the lower ends of said tongues and being adapted to abut the end of a partition disposed between said tongues.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said base flange is disposed directly below said tongues.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said base flange has an'upwardly extending rib thereon disposed coplanar with said vertical strip.

HENRY J. HICKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,523,136 OConnor Jan. 13, 1925 2,050,143 White Aug. 4, 1936 

